Re: The way to read STL source code

From	Stanley Rice <heconghui@gmail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c++
Subject	Re: The way to read STL source code
Date	2012-02-17 16:55 -0800
Organization	http://groups.google.com
Message-ID	<20416684.591.1329526538907.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@pbjr9> (permalink)
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On Friday, February 17, 2012 8:31:54 PM UTC+8, Juha Nieminen wrote:
> Stanley Rice <heconghui@gmail.com> wrote:
> > someone told me that it is a *good* way
> > to learn some language by reading others' code.
> 
>   I don't understand where that misconception comes from. It's an extremely
> naive concept that is probably spouted mostly by people without actual
> expertise in programming.
> 
But why there are so many people reading the Linux source code? Because 
there are lots of annotation about it? Lots of books explain it?

I am not a native English speaker. Maybe the culture and the way teachers 
teaches make the difference. In the past, I learn to program by reading 
the books and others' demon, and then refer to the document. Yes, those 
programs are not big at all, and easy to understand, and the document can 
also explain it to me. 

But if you said that reading others' code is not the way to improve your 
programming skills, I have no ideas how to improve it. Reading the 
reference and manual just too boring to me, at least now. For example, some 
online resources explain every function of STL, I read it through but I 
don't konw when to use it. Even in my daily practice, the function can't 
jump into my mind. It seems that I learn nothing.

While reading others' code, I will think why he use it some times, though 
he might use it in a not very good way.

>   A program is the implementation of the solution to a problem. Seeing
> only the program, without any explanation of it, it's usually very hard
> to understand what exactly is the solution it's implementing, or even to
> which problem. If the program is well commented (which is an utter rarity)
> it might help some, but it's still hard.
> 
>   Even more importantly, a program is a *particular solution* to a more
> generic problem. You would be learning *that particular solution* rather
> than the generic principle behind it. This could, at worse, lead to
> cargo cult programming, where you blindly use a programming technique
> in situations where it's not at all well suited, without understanding
> the theory behind that particular solution.
> 
>   And this is all assuming that the program is good and competently made.
> That, in itself, is also a rare happenstance. If the program you are reading
> happens to be pure crap, you might be learning bad habits and the wrong ways
> of doing things.  (Granted, the standard library is probably significantly
> more competently implemented than your average C++ program, but still.)

Thread

The way to read STL source code Stanley Rice <heconghui@gmail.com> - 2012-02-16 23:18 -0800
  Re: The way to read STL source code Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-17 07:29 +0000
    Re: The way to read STL source code Stanley Rice <heconghui@gmail.com> - 2012-02-17 00:56 -0800
      Re: The way to read STL source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-17 01:11 -0800
      Re: The way to read STL source code Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-17 12:31 +0000
        Re: The way to read STL source code Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-02-17 16:35 +0000
          Re: The way to read STL source code Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-17 20:38 +0000
            Re: The way to read STL source code Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-02-21 21:17 +0000
        Re: The way to read STL source code Stanley Rice <heconghui@gmail.com> - 2012-02-17 16:55 -0800
          Re: The way to read STL source code Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-18 14:13 +1300
          Re: Learning to code by reading code (was: The way to read STL source code) "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-18 19:00 -0500
            Re: Learning to code by reading code "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-18 22:34 -0600
            Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-19 03:54 -0500
              Re: Learning to code by reading code "Dmitry A. Kazakov" <mailbox@dmitry-kazakov.de> - 2012-02-19 10:42 +0100
              Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-20 03:39 -0500
            Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-19 03:54 -0500
              Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-19 08:40 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "MikeWhy" <boat042-nospam@yahoo.com> - 2012-02-19 13:17 -0600
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-20 02:32 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-02-20 13:02 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-20 05:09 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-02-20 15:11 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-20 07:39 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-20 04:14 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Dmitry A. Kazakov" <mailbox@dmitry-kazakov.de> - 2012-02-20 11:14 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-20 02:49 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-02-20 13:02 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-20 05:18 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2012-02-20 13:53 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-21 01:32 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-02-21 16:16 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-21 08:40 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-20 17:36 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Mike McCarty <mcmccarty@gmail.com> - 2012-02-20 15:27 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Dombo <dombo@disposable.invalid> - 2012-02-21 00:45 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-21 04:35 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-21 08:48 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-22 00:12 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-22 06:12 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-22 04:30 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Geoff <geoff@invalid.invalid> - 2012-02-22 10:45 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-23 01:12 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-23 07:34 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-23 05:46 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-02-24 08:38 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-02-24 08:40 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-02-24 09:38 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-25 05:25 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Dombo <dombo@disposable.invalid> - 2012-02-25 12:50 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-25 06:13 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2012-02-26 07:20 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-21 08:23 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-21 08:43 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-21 04:47 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-21 10:09 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-22 05:38 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-21 04:31 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2012-02-21 10:05 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Dmitry A. Kazakov" <mailbox@dmitry-kazakov.de> - 2012-02-21 12:21 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-22 06:04 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2012-02-21 11:01 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-22 05:59 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-21 01:27 -0800
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Peter Remmers <p.remmers@expires-2011-04-30.arcornews.de> - 2012-02-20 22:25 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-02-26 08:47 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2012-02-26 10:55 +0000
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nomen Nescio <nobody@dizum.com> - 2012-02-22 08:59 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-22 05:59 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nomen Nescio <nobody@dizum.com> - 2012-02-22 13:47 +0100
                Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-23 06:21 -0500
                Re: Learning to code by reading code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-22 00:08 -0800
            Re: Learning to code by reading code "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2012-02-19 03:54 -0500
              Re: Learning to code by reading code Stanley Rice <heconghui@gmail.com> - 2012-02-19 05:24 -0800
            Re: Learning to code by reading code Marco van de Voort <marcov@toad.stack.nl> - 2012-02-19 11:27 +0000
          Re: Learning to code by reading code (was: The way to read STL source code) Ebenezer <woodbrian77@gmail.com> - 2012-02-18 20:02 -0800
            Re: Learning to code by reading code (was: The way to read STL source code) 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2012-02-18 21:51 -0800
            Re: Learning to code by reading code (was: The way to read STL source code) "Bo Persson" <bop@gmb.dk> - 2012-02-19 16:10 +0100
          Re: The way to read STL source code Mark Elston <m.elston@advantest-ard.com> - 2012-02-21 16:40 -0800
    Re: The way to read STL source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-17 01:06 -0800
  Re: The way to read STL source code Goran <goran.pusic@gmail.com> - 2012-02-16 23:36 -0800
    Re: The way to read STL source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-17 01:12 -0800
      Re: The way to read STL source code Goran <goran.pusic@gmail.com> - 2012-02-17 03:57 -0800
        Re: The way to read STL source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-17 05:15 -0800
          Re: The way to read STL source code Goran <goran.pusic@gmail.com> - 2012-02-17 06:02 -0800
          Re: The way to read STL source code Stanley Rice <heconghui@gmail.com> - 2012-02-17 17:08 -0800
            Re: The way to read STL source code Dombo <dombo@disposable.invalid> - 2012-02-19 16:52 +0100
  Re: The way to read STL source code Krice <paulkp@mbnet.fi> - 2012-02-24 00:38 -0800
  Re: The way to read STL source code 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2012-02-25 10:46 -0800
    Re: The way to read STL source code 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2012-02-26 14:57 -0800
    Re: The way to read STL source code Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2012-02-27 03:02 -0800

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